This invention relates generally to the field of chemical light generators, and more particularly to an inflatable ball or globe of translucent material adapted to incorporate a replaceable, compact chemi-luminescent device.
In the modern world, artificial light sources are largely of the electrically-activated type, use being made of incandescent light bulbs, fluorescent tubes and other types of electrically-energized light emitters. The necessary electrical power for such emitters is derived from power lines, motor-generators and batteries. There are, however, circumstances where it is desirable to provide a source of visible light which is not electrically activated. Thus in emergency situations where there is no electrical power available or where there has been an electrical power failure, alternative light sources are required.
The use of chemi-luminescent devices as an alternative to an electrically-activated light source is well-known. Such devices incorporate chemical components which react to provide excitation for a fluorescent compound. With a chemi-luminescent device, once the reaction is initiated, it runs its course and it is not possible to turn the light on and off at will. It is therefore the present practice to maintain the reactive components in a non-reactive state until the need for light arises.
Thus in U.S. Pat. No. 3,576,987, a chemi-luminescent device is disclosed which is constituted by an outer flexible tube of translucent material having concentrically-disposed therein an inner rigid tube, the rigid tube being breakable. The sealed inner tube is filled with one component of a two-component chemical lighting system, and the sealed outer tube is filled with the second component thereof.
To activate this known device, the flexible outer tube is bent to an extent causing fracture of the inner tube, as a result of which the two components intermingle to initiate the generation of light. Chemi-luminescent light is obtained by the reaction of hydroperoxide with a chemi-luminescent composition. In this way, the outer tube becomes a light wand or stick which may be held in the hand or placed at a suitable site.
A chemi-luminescent light wand of the above-described type has many practical advantages, for it can be made small and highly-portable. And since it radiates a cold light, it is useful in situations where the heat generated by electrically-activated light sources is undesirable or hazardous. It is also useful under conditions where an electrical system may represent a fire hazard such as in the presence of flammable agents, or underwater where a danger of electrical shorting exists.
The main drawback of a chemical light source in stick form is that it constitutes a highly-directional light emitter, and unless properly oriented, it functions inefficiently. To give a simple analogy: The sun is a spherical generator which emits light rays omnidirectionally and efficiently illuminates all planets within the planetary system without regard to their position with respect to the sun. But had the sun been in stick form, the planets in line with the end of the stick would receive little light, while others at different locations would be more or less illuminated, depending on their angular positions relative to the stick. Thus while the ideal light radiator is a globe, existing types of chemi-luminescent devices fall far short of this ideal.